The present invention relates generally to power driving mechanisms, and more particularly to apparatus utilizing a vibratory member for driving tools or other members of various types into earth, coal, wood, concrete, asphalt, or other materials or substances.
In my application, Ser. No. 973,163, filed Dec. 26, 1978, is described tool driving apparatus in which one extremity of a straight resonant beam is mounted adjacent to a tool in the form of a cutter blade. A sonic generator is mounted on a tool holder or carrier that is driven by a continuous unidirectional force. The sonic generator is coupled to the other extremity of the resonant beam to set up resonant vibration therein with two nodes spaced along the length of the beam between its extremities. A pivotable upper node support and a rigid lower node support are provided for the respective nodes. The tool is advanced intermittently along a work path responsive to the continuous unidirectional force exerted by the carrier and the force exerted by the sonic generator.
The space requirements for a straight resonant beam and its node supports place burdensome restraints on the design of resonant power driving equipment for a number of different work applications, such as, for example, rock ripping, bulldozing, and earth moving with a shovel bucket or front end loader.